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1) Nobody deserves a chance to manage in the big leagues. It isn't a right.
2) He may be a saint now, but the PR risk of hiring someone with a domestic arrest and a bankruptcy and a DUI is enormous.
3) It's the Mets so I'm sure he'll be in the bigs by July 4.

First of all, I don't think that Terry Collins has done anything to deserve to be fired.

But if he is fired, who exactly would be clearly better and more logical as a candidate than Backman? Backman is the manager of the team's Triple-A affiliate, which is traditionally a place that a team looks to in hiring a new manager in mid-season. He's also had some success in the minors, winning three league titles and twice losing in the finals.

What other great managerial candidates are out there? Bob Melvin, who at one time was being considered by the Mets, is managing in Oakland. Bobby Cox, Joe Torre, and Tony LaRussa are not coming out of retirement to manage the Mets. Ozzie Guillen would be a disaster in New York. Jim Tracy? Bob Geren? Bobby Valentine? I don't think so.

Pete Mackanin would be a good candidate, but he would be a hard sell for New York fans, plus he's not in the Mets' organization and might not be available right away.

First of all, I don't think that Terry Collins has done anything to deserve to be fired.

But if he is fired, who exactly would be clearly better and more logical as a candidate than Backman

I agree with you about Collins, just to put that out there. I think the best argument against Backman that doesn't cite his embarrassing Diamondbacks incident, his apparent psychotic break managing in the minors and so on is what Bob says in #9. If you're replacing Collins because you think he's not working, bringing in someone who is like Collins, only more so, is probably not the best idea.

Why does this guy get pimped so much for big league managerial jobs? His resume doesn't strike me as exceptional. What am I missing?

He's done some winning in the minors, and he's put in his time there. In that sense his resume is solid. The big deal, though, since the Mets aren't going to be winning any time soon, is that Backman is seen as a link to the gritty, winning clubs of the mid-80s.

Sorry to say it, but Backman just doesn't sound smart enough for me to want him to manage my favorite team. He's never said anything, afaik, that displays real baseball intelligence. I'd like to be wrong, so if anyone knows of an interview where Backman talks about how lineup composition is overrated, for example, or where he ever talks about the subtleties of the game intelligently, a link would be great.

“I think I’m still the same guy. I’m going to stick up for my players, I’m going to fight for my players. I may not throw the bats and the balls on the field anymore and stuff like that. If that’s calming down, I guess that’s calming down. But I’ve definitely got the players’ backs. If they get thrown out, I’m probably going with them 90 percent of the time. Right or wrong.”

So it's "Hey guys! I've got your backs! Maybe!" ?

In any case, the sooner the better. The sooner Backman arrives, the sooner he'll wear out his welcome, and I don't want him managing when the Mets have a chance to be good.

Backman is the manager of the team's Triple-A affiliate, which is traditionally a place that a team looks to in hiring a new manager in mid-season.

Is this true? Maybe I'm missing some obvious ones but I feel like a bench coach or some random guy from outside the organization is the one that fills that role on mid-season moves. I don't have the impression that teams that are typically doing poorly (which is why they fired the manager) are going to unsettle their AAA team.

Is this true? Maybe I'm missing some obvious ones but I feel like a bench coach or some random guy from outside the organization is the one that fills that role on mid-season moves. I don't have the impression that teams that are typically doing poorly (which is why they fired the manager) are going to unsettle their AAA team.